Imperial Oak School

School pre-registration inspection report

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Imperial Oak Preparatory School 134a New Kent Road, London SE1 6TU

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided All paragraphs  Leaders have written a coherent curriculum policy. The range of intended subjects is broad and ambitious. These include art and design, computing, design and technology, English, French, geography, history, mathematics, phonics, physical education, personal, social and health education (PSHE), religious education, science and Spanish. The schemes of work are detailed and well sequenced. They take into account the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.  The planned curriculum for PSHE, including relationships and sex education (RSE), is likely to be suitable. It includes coverage of topics such as the importance of respecting our rights and those of others. Pupils will be taught how to keep themselves safe online. Leaders plan to gather the views of parents and carers regarding the content of the RSE curriculum.

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Main inspection findings

 The proposed assessment framework states that pupils will sit baseline assessments when they join the school. Teachers will assess pupils regularly and use this to inform their planning. Teachers will complete an early years foundation stage profile for each child. This will be based on observations of pupils’ progress in class. Leaders intend for teachers to assess pupils’ reading each day. They will send comments home to parents via a reading record.  The proposed school is already well resourced. Plans show that the library will be a suitable environment in which pupils can develop a love of reading.  The headteacher is an experienced teacher. She is likely to be able to ensure that teaching is of a suitable standard for pupils to make progress through the curriculum.  Leaders’ plans to recruit and train suitable staff are in progress. Leaders have ensured that the independent school standards in this part are likely to be met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 2. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils All paragraphs  Leaders have mapped out how they plan to cover the spiritual, moral, social and cultural dimension through each subject on the curriculum.  Leaders intend to teach pupils about different religions and places of worship. The planned religious education curriculum includes world religions such as Judaism, Islam and Sikhism. Leaders plan to take pupils to visit local places of worship. They intend to make the most of the school’s central location to develop pupils’ wider cultural awareness.  Through the planned PSHE curriculum pupils will learn about fundamental British values. Pupils will be supported to gain an understanding of people different from themselves, including those with protected characteristics.  The proposed school’s staff behaviour policy states that staff may not promote any partisan political viewpoint. Leaders expect staff to offer a balanced presentation of

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Main inspection findings

opposing views when in dialogue with pupils.  Leaders have ensured that the independent school standards in this part are likely to be met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils All paragraphs  The proposed school’s child protection policy reflects current statutory guidance. It includes, for example, reference to child-on-child abuse and mechanisms for reporting low-level concerns about staff.  Leaders have already recruited a knowledgeable designated safeguarding lead and a deputy. They have clear plans to provide comprehensive training for staff to ensure a culture of safeguarding in the school. Leaders have invested in an appropriate system for the logging and referral of safeguarding cases. They demonstrate an understanding of the likely contextual safeguarding issues. They intend to work closely with the local authorities from which pupils are likely to come.  The proprietor has written detailed health and safety, fire safety, first aid and risk assessment policies. She has carried out a fire risk assessment. Leaders have a clear

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Main inspection findings

schedule for checks to fire alarms, emergency lighting, smoke and heat detectors and fire extinguishers.  Closed circuit television is in operation around the school. This is likely to ensure the safety of pupils. There is a buzzer system for entry to the building.  Leaders plan to write risk assessments for school trips and for individual pupils. These are likely to be suitable. Currently, there are risk assessments in place for use of the toilet, the medical facility and the outdoor play area.  The proposed school’s anti-bullying and behaviour policies are appropriate.  Leaders have prepared suitable template admissions and attendance registers.  Plans for the supervision of pupils are likely to be suitable. Staff and pupils will eat lunch together each day.  Leaders have ensured that the independent school standards in this part are likely to be met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors All paragraphs  Leaders have completed the required recruitment checks on the members of staff they have appointed so far. These are accurately recorded on a single central record. Members of the leadership team have completed safer recruitment training.  Leaders have ensured that the independent school standards in this part are likely to be met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools All paragraphs  The proposed school is located on the ground floor of a business space. The premises have been decorated to a very high specification. They are likely to be suitably resourced, clean and safe.  The premises include four classrooms, a library and a space for computers. There is a canteen area where pupils will eat a hot lunch each day. There will also be an indoor climbing wall. There are suitable toilets and washing facilities, a well-equipped medical room nearby and two large outdoor spaces suitable for teaching physical education and for recreation.  The acoustics, lighting and hot water temperatures are suitable.  Water coolers are on order. These will provide suitable drinking water for pupils.  Leaders have ensured that the independent school standards in this part are likely to be met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 6. Provision of information All paragraphs  Leaders of the proposed school understand the information and policies that they must make available to parents, inspectors and local authorities on request. These will be accessible via the proposed school’s website when it goes live.  Leaders have prepared a suitable template for a detailed annual report to parents on pupils’ progress and attainment in all curriculum subjects.  Leaders are aware of their duty to provide funding authorities with annual statements of income and expenditure for any pupils with education, health and care plans and for any looked after children. They have prepared a suitable template.  Leaders have ensured that the independent school standards in this part are likely to be met. Part 7. Manner in which complaints are handled All paragraphs  The proposed school’s complaints policy sets out a staged approach to how leaders

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Main inspection findings

intend to deal with complaints. The process will begin informally and will progress to formal resolution and a panel hearing if necessary. Leaders intend to keep a record of any complaints. This will include any action taken by the school as a result of the complaint.  Leaders have ensured that the independent school standards in this part are likely to be met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools All paragraphs  The proprietor has experience of running a similar registered independent setting elsewhere. She has appointed a headteacher with considerable experience in education.  Some minor amendments were needed to a small number of school policies during the inspection. However, leaders demonstrated the skills and understanding to be able to meet the independent school standards consistently, including the standard in this part.

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Main inspection findings

Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010  The proposed school’s accessibility plan is suitable and thus likely to meet this requirement.

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Main inspection findings

Statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage  Leaders’ plans to protect all pupils at the school are likely to ensure that the safeguarding and welfare requirements for children are met.  The proposed curriculum maps out the curriculum and intended children’s learning against the seven areas of learning and development.  Leaders have ensured that the statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage are likely to be met.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school is likely to meet the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements.

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Proposed school details

This inspection was carried out under section 99 of the Education and Skills Act 2008, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s likely compliance with the independent school standards that are required for registration as an independent school.

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Proposed school details

Proprietor Imperial Oak preparatory school limited

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Proposed school details

Date of previous standard inspection Not previously inspected

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proposal

Inspector’s recommendation Age range of pupils Not applicable 4 to 7 4 to 7 Number of pupils on the school roll Not applicable 48 48

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Gender of pupils Not applicable Mixed Number of full-time pupils of compulsory school age Not applicable Up to 48

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of part-time pupils Not applicable 0

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities Not applicable Up to 10

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Of which, number of pupils with an education, health and care plan Not applicable 0

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Of which, number of pupils paid for by a local authority with an education, health and care plan Not applicable 0

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of full-time equivalent teaching staff Not applicable 8

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of part-time teaching staff Not applicable 0

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of staff in the welfare provision Not applicable 0

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Information about this proposed school

 Imperial Oak Preparatory School intends to register as an independent day school in the London borough of Southwark.  The proposed school intends to open in September 2023.  The proposed proprietor runs an existing day nursery called Zippy’s, which is registered with Ofsted (EY473489). The nursery’s overall effectiveness was judged to be good at its last inspection in December 2019.  Leaders do not plan to make any use of alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was commissioned by the Department for Education to assess whether the provision is likely to meet all of the independent school standards if registered as an independent school.  This is the proposed school’s first pre-registration inspection.  The inspection was carried out with two days’ notice.  The inspector met with a group of senior staff, including the proposed school’s headteacher and the proprietor.  The inspector toured the premises and looked at a range of documentary evidence to consider the likelihood of the proposed school meeting all the independent school standards.

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Inspection team

Lisa Strong, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

Parent View You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Inspection team

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/ofsted .

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Inspection team

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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